Gallery Aferro

Evonne Davis + Emma Wilcox of Gallery Aferro recognized as 2024 Changemaker Award Recipients by the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Evonne M. Davis and Emma Wilcox co-founded Gallery Aferro in Newark in 2003. Considered one of the oldest alternative spaces in New Jersey, Aferro prioritized cultural work dealing with social inequities, economic struggles, and transformative change. In January 2024, after 20 years of supporting art and artists and organizing hundreds of innovative exhibitions, residencies, and community-engagement and educational programs, Davis and Wilcox announced the closing of Gallery Aferro. On April 27, as part of VACNJ's annual gala Positive Space, co-chaired by Susan + Michael Cagnassola & Briana King + Christopher Joralemon, Gallery Aferro's artist co-founders will be recognized as 2024 Changemaker Award Recipients for their tireless dedication to authentic, responsive community-based work.

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Opens Exhibitions Celebrating

Gallery Aferro: Dignity and Beauty
Le’Andra LeSeur and Anna Parisi: Bearing Witness
Kay Reese: 50 Million African Trees
Hidemi Takagi: IDENTITIES

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
February 23, 2024 - May 24, 2024
Opening Reception February 23, 6:30–8 PM
Daylight Hours Preview 4–5 PM

Summit, NJ —The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey (VACNJ) will present exhibitions that celebrate the Newark-based arts organization Gallery Aferro, which recently closed its doors after 20 years. Founded by visionary artists and changemakers Evonne M. Davis and Emma Wilcox, Gallery Aferro was a platform for the exchange of ideas in service of advancing human dignity and beauty, with a focus on visual arts as the vehicle. The Art Center’s first-floor galleries will showcase a range of media by past fellowship recipients from Aferro.

VACNJ’s Main Gallery features the exhibition Gallery Aferro: Dignity and Beauty—guest-curated by Edwin Ramoran—that showcases works by Katrina Bello, Anjali Benjamin-Webb, Ruth Borgenicht, Amy Faris, Krystle Lemonias, kara lynch, Bud McNichol, Lisette Morel, and Steve Rossi. They are a select group of alumni from fellowships that directly served specific cohorts with support, space, and opportunities. Within this progressive, creative community, the Lynn and John Kearney Fellowship for Equity was awarded to women of color, while the Sustainable Arts Fellowship was for artists who are parents. The artwork presented here addresses themes of family, loss, memory, and place. At times visually somber, the work exhibited embodies the central message in Gallery Aferro’s mission statement for the advancement of “human dignity and beauty.” For more information visit Image: Hidemi Takagi

Nothing Lasts Forever: Gallery Aferro 2003-2023- https://mailchi.mp/aferro/nothinglastsforever

The life of a community space is full of moments of human connection. This may seem like a rather obvious statement, but in an era of performative "content creation" we want to honor the sustained, long term endeavor of making a better world, whether it be through Friday's class visit from Arts High, or Saturday's organizing meeting of CWA Local 1037 and NJ Communities United. Here's to the next generation, and those who nurture them! Not pictured: very small visitor coloring, inspired by work on view.